Most of us know that we're biased when it comes to our own performance — we tend to think we're better than we actually are. But here's the strange part: this bias doesn't just affect how we see ourselves. It also affects how we see other people. When we watch someone else do something, we unconsciously compare them to ourselves — and since we think we're pretty good, we use ourselves as the benchmark.
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When Claire tests her own onboarding flow, she naturally follows the happy path. She fills out every required field, clicks 'next,' and never intentionally tries to break anything. Codex tested the flow as both a team and an individual, pushed on required-field edge cases, and immediately uncovered a blocking bug that had survived for months simply because Claire always completed the form correctly.
Lenny Rachitsky
We deceive ourselves if we imagine that we can ever be passive, impartial observers. Every perception, every scene, is shaped by us, whether we intend it or know it, or not. We are the directors of the film we are making — but we are its subjects too: every frame, every moment, is us, is ours.
Oliver Sacks
Risk means more things can happen than will happen. The practical definition of risk is not volatility or a standard deviation — it's the possibility of permanent loss of capital. Volatility is opportunity dressed in frightening clothes.
Howard Marks — The Most Important Thing: Uncommon Sense for the Thoughtful Investor